‘Bhava’ unites the Human soul with God
Baba used to say that a devotee will experience Him according to his ‘bhava’ (the pulsation of heart). It is not easy to surrender the state of mind without understanding its full implications. The better path would be to progressively develop the qualities prescribed by the Sadguru, while living in the world like an ordinary man, enjoying happiness and suffering unhappiness – while keeping the Guru in one’s heart.
What the simple devotee does not understand is that the entire system of worship is meant to establish and sustain an emotional rapport between the God or ‘Guru’ and the devotees. That is possible only when the devotee is truthful in his emotional beseechment or prayers. This part can’t be delegated to the ‘Punditji’ to be manipulated through the process of uttering of a few Sanskrit words (Mantras), the meaning of which, the devotee may not be aware of.
Many a times the ignorant but gullible devotee is waylaid in the devotional path by some of these so called ‘Punditji’s at huge cost of their time, money and energy.
The unfortunate devotee has no choice but to agree to whatever the ‘Punditji’ says, does or prescribes to be done, with the fear of losing God’s blessings or incurring a divine curse or losing the good will of the ‘Punditji’ who often usurps the role of an intermediary between God and his devotees!
That is why enlightened souls like Shri Nanak ji (‘Guru Vani’ written in Gurumukhi), Shri Tulsi Das (‘Shri Rama Charita Manas’ written in Hindi), Shri Sharala Das (Mahabharata written in Odia) and many others made it easy for the devotees to develop a direct emotional bond with God (or the Deity) by giving vent to their feelings through the medium of regional, local and understandable language. In Maharashtra, saint Tukaram wrote ‘abhangs’ in Marathi language and in Bengal, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to deliver his discourses in simple Bengali language and style.
Such changes brought about by these enlightened souls were fully accepted by the common man of the society and were highly beneficial in their spiritual progress. Shri Shirdi Sai Baba also prescribed His devotees to appeal to God in a faithful and truthful spirit in whatever language the devotee is comfortable with.
Shri Sai Baba used to tell His devotees just to recite His name Sai-Sai lovingly. History has shown that numerous simple, uneducated (in the formal sense of the term) but faithful souls realized God in this manner.
Source: Excerpts from MAHA SAMADHI DIWAS MESSAGE (1996) by Dr. C B Satpathy